N E W S L E T T E R
Republic of Hungary Budapest, 1394 . 423
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Telephone:36(1)156-8000
Press Department Telefax: 36(1) 156-3801
600/1994. Budapest, December 27, 1994
Hungarian Press Review
Budapest, December 23 (MTI) - Nepszabadsag: The Suzuki company
will fully take over the management of its Hungarian production factory,
although the Hungarian owners' voting proportion in the Hungarian Suzuki
Co. will remain at 30 per cent. According to the article, this was the reason
for the appointment of a Japanese director general to head the firm, and
why the Hungarian director general recently resigned.
Nepszava: It seems certain that Hungary will have a budget bill
passed this year. The article details the finishing touches on the bill,
namely that Parliament's plenary session on Thursday decided on the last
70 amendment proposals submitted to the budget bill, and also decided on
amendment of the tax laws.
Nepszabadsag: The Mecsek uranium mine will be closed by the end
of 1997. The article interviewed Minister of Industry Laszlo Pal on the ways
to resolve the protracted industry and employment policy conflicts of the
region, the future of Hungarian uranium mining, and the future of the eight
coal mines that were left out of the power plant and mine integration
scheme.
Uj Magyarorszag: "My nomination and the mood of the Foreign
Affairs Committee indicated that Hungary's foreign policy remains
unchanged compared to what we represented in Strasbourg," former
Hungarian Democratic Forum MP Jozsef Bratinka, and candidate for
ambassador to the Vatican, said in an interview.
* *
Budapest, December 23 (MTI) - Magyar Hirlap: "Will the Bomber
Never Be Found?", runs the headline of an interview with Brigadier General
Antal Kacziba, criminal director of the National Police Headquarters, who
said that neither the secret services, nor the police have any results that
indicate they would shortly apprehend the perpetrators of the series of
explosions which occurred early in the summer. Kacziba believes the
bomber is foreigner.
Magyar Hirlap: Strong state intervention is necessary for making
changes in the critical situation of the Roma, or Gypsy, population,
according to the leader of the Roma programme office which operates
within the Office for National and Ethnic Minorities.
Magyar Nemzet: According to the daily's sources, the world-famous
Rolling Stones group will include Budapest in its European tour next year.
Government on Privatization of HungarHotels
Budapest, December 23 (MTI) - The government instructed Ferenc
Bartha, government commissioner in charge of privatization, to set
essentially more favourable terms of sale in talks to be conducted with the
winner of the tender aimed at achieving the sale of HungarHotels Plc in
order to fully assert the economic interests of the Hungarian state.
Prime Minister Gyula Horn made an announcement to this effect at
the government spokesperson's press briefing here today.
On December 13 the board of directors of the State Property Agency
decided to sell 51 per cent of the shares of the hotel chain HungarHotels
Plc, made up of 14 hotels, to American General Hospitality Inc, which had
made the best bid at a tender, for USD 57.5 million.
Two days later, however, Prime Minister Gyula Horn ordered the
Government"s Control Bureau to review the decision.
Some people say Budapest Forum Hotel, the most valuable hotel of
this chain, is worth alone USD 57.5 million.
The Government's Control Bureau drew the conclusion that
HungarHotels had been launched for sale at a deeply underrated value.
Sandor Rubicsek, the head of the bureau, pointed out that prior to
the launch of the tender, the SPA had failed to have the assets of the hotel
chain valued, and this had a negative effect on the transaction.
At the same time the bureau also established that it could not find
any signs pointing to conflicts of interests or to corruption in the
procedure.
By taking these factors into consideration, the SPA came up with the
proposal that at further talks the SPA attempt to attain a more favourable
position for the state.
Prime Minister Horn said a lengthy debate had unfolded on the
matter at the government meeting, but none of the ministers had objected
to the investigation.
The ministers agreed on the need to reach a decision that would not
scare investors away, but in cases when major state assets were about to
be sold deeply below their price, the government had to take care that no
damage be incurred.
* *
Budapest, December 23 (MTI) - Prime Minister Horn said the matter of
HungarHotels could become a divide in privatization in Hungary. This
means that institutions dealing with privatization must take more care in
future and the administration must approve tenders relating to the sale of
highly valuable state companies, before they are launched.
Prime Minister Horn also said the government instructed the minister
of justice to examine whether the act on the sale, utilization and protection
of state property made the valuation of assets mandatory before the launch
of tenders.
The Minister of Justice has until January 12 to file a report.
The government intends to institutionalize the government"s control
facilities in key privatization matters. This calls for the elaboration of a
system of criteria and if that is breached, the government will have an
opportunity to intervene in the process.
If necessary, the government can set up an ad hoc commission to
investigate expressly major privatization transactions.
In answer to a question the prime minister said the confidence
placed in Bartha as government commissioner in charge of privatization,
depends on his future activity.
For his part Bartha said he had not drawn a conclusion to himself
from the government resolution. He said he would only do so if a
privatization mechanism were controlled directly by the government.
Hungarian Press Review
Budapest, December 24 (MTI) - Magyar Hirlap - A survey was carried
out in November by the Mareco Kft., the Hungarian branch of Gallup
International, to find out how the adult population's opinion has changed in
1994 concerning public safety. The survey was based on a sample of 1,000
adults. Of these, 35 per cent said that public security had seriously
worsened in 1994. Almost the same number of people, 36 per cent, said
there had been a slight deterioration. Every fifth person, 21 per cent,
noticed neither deterioration nor improvement in public safety, and 8 per
cent felt there had been a slight improvement.
The questionnaires also inquired into what means these people
deemed the most important in maintaining public order. Fourteen per cent
of the respondents believed that the most efficient means to improving
public safety would be the re-establishment of the death penalty. Fifty-one
per cent said improvement of the economic situation would be the best
means to better public order, 27 per cent believed in the importance of a
strong police, and 6 per cent expressed the belief that citizens joining
forces would be the most beneficial. (page 23)
* *
Budapest, December 24 (MTI) - Nepszava - Social peace is essential
for economic growth, Prime Minister Gyula Horn stressed in an interview
with the paper. Asked whether he saw any contradiction in a Socialist party
building capitalism, Socialist party Chairman and Prime Minister Horn said
what mattered most was what the market economy was aimed at. The
Hungarian Socialist Party has consistently called for the establishment of a
market economy with an effective social net. However, there are quite a few
differences of opinion with the governing partner Alliance of Free
Democrats, Horn continued.
"We are partners in carrying through a fast transformation, on the
other hand the finance minister and I need to take into consideration not
only financial aspects but also significant political and social factors. The
point is not whether the programme on stabilization and growth should be
given up, but that social-political peace must be preserved while carrying it
out."
Asked about the possibility of reaching a social, economic
agreement in the near future, Horn answered he very much hoped there
would be. "At present, coordination is still under way and agreement has
already been reached on many issues. It is important to come to terms on
concrete items - wages, prices, privatization and employment-related
issues - because only on the grounds of these can there be national
consensus. The institutional system of social partnership must be
established... Such grand-scale transformation requires social peace. (page
5)
* *
Budapest, December 24 (MTI) - Nepszabadsag - Let's join forces in
seeking peace, said Cardinal Laszlo Paskai, primate of Hungary and
archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, in an interview with the paper, in which
he was asked about a recent Hungarian-language publication of a
catechism completed in 1992 summarizing Catholic dogma.
In answer to the question, "What answers does the Catholic Church
provide for the challenges of a modern era?", Cardinal Paskai said:
"The new catechism, especially its third chapter on morals, deals
with the special problems and challenges of our modern age in detail. It
discusses human relations, the purity of family life, the fight against drugs,
value and respect of work, equal rights and differences of men and women,
peace, protection for the created world, i.e. environmental protection. It
also covers ecumenism, the major religions of the world, and dialogue with
non-believers and all groups of society."
* *
Budapest, December 24 (MTI) - Nepszabadsag (cont.) - "Beyond the
eternal and universal message carried by Christmas, what message does
the Catholic Church have about society in 1995?"
"The Catholic Church has no special message for each year, but it is
an established practice that the Pope issues a message to the world on
January 1, the Day of World Peace. This January 1 will be the 28th annual
World Peace Day. In his 1995 message, the Pope will primarily address
women to encourage them to raise children for peace, by devoting their
femininity, their whole being and all their deeds to this task... The building
of peace is inseparable from the acknowledgement of the personal dignity
of women, and from the guarantee of the circumstances in which they can
answer this calling. The Pope will request all those concerned to consider
the role of women in society and the family, and notice the cries of women
for peace. In his message, the Pope will mention the conference to be
organized in 1995 on world peace, which is also expected to discuss
equality, development and peace from the viewpoint of women... The family
of mankind should join its forces in seeking peace, Cardinal Paskai said in
an interview with the daily Nepszabadsag. (page 19)
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A tovabbterjesztest a New York-i szekhelyu Magyar Emberi Jogok
Alapitvany tamogatja.
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Reposting is supported by Hungarian Human Rights Foundation News
and Information Service.
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N E W S L E T T E R
Republic of Hungary Budapest, 1394 . 423
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Telephone:36(1)156-8000
Press Department Telefax: 36(1) 156-3801
601/1994. Budapest, December 28, 1994
Hungarian Press Review
Budapest, December 27 (MTI) - Nepszabadsag - Gabor Kuncze,
deputy prime minister and minister of interior, gave an affirmation to the
paper that his conflict with Prime Minister Gyula Horn did not register any
personal features. Horn reiterated that he could not tolerate any criticism of
the kind that Kuncze had voiced when speaking on the extra month salaries
and the investigation into privatization of the HungarHotels. The coalition
partner Free Democrats do not agree with the Hungarian Socialist Party's
recent proposal on joint control over the Ministry of the Interior.
- Magyar Hirlap - At last week's cabinet session, a number of
ministers raised their concerns over the HungarHotels investigation, the
paper reports. (The State Property Agency wanted to sell 51 per cent of the
shares of the 14-hotel chain for USD 57.5 million to American General
Hospitality. Prime Minister Gyula Horn has ordered an investigation into the
case, saying the price was too low. Thus government Commissioner Ferenc
Bartha has been compelled by the cabinet to aim at a much higher price
during the forthcoming negotiations.) In Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs's
opinion this investigation might have a negative influence on the foreign
assessment of Hungarian privatization transactions. Along with the Free
Democrats and the foreign minister, there were members in government
who, although in agreement with the investigation, had objections
concerning the way it had been launched. Minister of Industry and Trade
Laszlo Pal fully supported the prime minister's position.
* * *
Budapest, December 27 (MTI) - Nepszava - In an interview with the
paper, Speaker of Hungarian Parliament Zoltan Gal said that cooperation
between the ministers and the parliamentary groups of the two governing
parties has been satisfactory so far. At the same time, he admitted that
legislative work has not taken a more relaxed pace over the past six
months.
- Nepszabadsag - Minister of Industry and Trade Laszlo Pal said it is
natural for the steel workers of Ozd and Diosgyor to hold demonstrations,
but pointed out that the government decided three months ago on what
means should be used to keep two steel works functioning. He also said
that next year the foreign trade deficit could be cut by several million
dollars if the country is able to make barter deals to cover the energy
import from Russia and to gain stakes in foreign businesses in return for
some part of Russian debts to Hungary.
Parliament Approves Budget for 1995
Budapest, December 27 (MTI) - On Tuesday Parliament passed the
bill on the budget for 1995 with 251 votes for, 83 votes against and one
abstention.
Next year's central deficit is planned to be HUF 282.645 billion, with
public expenditure totaling HUF 1,914.1425 billion and revenue amounting
to HUF 1,631.4975 billion.
On behalf of the government, Finance Minister Laszlo Bekesi
expressed thanks to the deputies for their strained work over the past six
weeks, which has allowed the country to enter the new year with a
completed budget.
He also addressed the opposition parties separately, thanking them
for not hindering passage of the bill.
Bekesi voiced his belief that the budget which has now been
approved would help the Hungarian economy take an orbit of stable
growth.
Horn Government Has No Plans to Reschedule Debts
Budapest, December 27 (MTI) - The government of Prime Minister
Gyula Horn is not considering the rescheduling of debts, as that could
result in unforeseeable consequences.
This was the answer given by the prime minister to a question raised
by Chairman of the Independent Smallholders Party (ISP) Jozsef Torgyan at
Tuesday's Parliament session.
In his question to the PM, entitled "The People's Exploitation or
Moratorium", Torgyan proposed opening a dialogue in Parliament on the
country's external debt. He said the debt burdens are crushing the people.
According to Torgyan, the people have the right to know the amount
of the Hungarian state's foreign debt stock, as well as who raised those
loans, and to what end.
Parliament Ratifies Marrakesh Agreement
Budapest, December 27 (MTI) - Hungarian Parliament has approved
the resolution proposal on ratifying the GATT (General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade) multilateral trade agreement signed in Marrakesh on
April 15, 1994.
Minister of Industry and Trade Laszlo Pal told MPs that participation
in the new world trade organization is important for Hungary. He was of the
opinion that the export prospects of Hungarian products will improve
through the agreement.
Under the terms of the agreement, non-tariff restrictive means will be
eliminated for agricultural products, and Hungarian import regulations will
also change. Over the next five years, Hungarian industrial tariffs will rise
by an average eight per cent.
The Minister expressed the hope that the growth value of Hungarian
exports will be between US 800 million and 1.5 billion over the next years.
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A tovabbterjesztest a New York-i szekhelyu Magyar Emberi Jogok
Alapitvany tamogatja.
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*][*] [*][*][*]
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*]
[*][*][*] [*][*][*] [*][*] [*][*]
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*]
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*]
Reposting is supported by Hungarian Human Rights Foundation News
and Information Service.
*****************************************************************